CHICAGO - APRIL 03: A Southwest Airlines jet takes off at Midway Airport April 3, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Port of Oakland announced this week that Southwest Airlines will be introducing nonstop service between Oakland International Airport and Tucson, Arizona.
Starting on March 11, the new daily flights, each traversing 747 miles in Boeing 737 jets, will make Tucson the second Arizona destination, after Phoenix, that Southwest Airlines serves from Oakland.
Also in March, Southwest plans to restore flights between Oakland and Baltimore, Atlanta, and Orlando, Florida. The airline halted those flights in early 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Tucson is an often requested yet unserved destination from the East Bay," Port of Oakland director of aviation Bryant Francis said in a statement, "and the transcontinental flights to Atlanta, Baltimore, and Orlando are very welcomed service restorations."
During the pandemic, Southwest has enhanced cleaning efforts at airports and on aircraft and is requiring every employee and customer to wear "a well-secured cloth or mask that fits snugly against the face, covers an individual's nose and mouth, and is secured under the chin." A neck gaiter that meets these requirements is also acceptable.